Non invasive methods in bariatric surgery - 4

IV. NON INVASIVE METHODS IN THE BARIATRIC FIELD

Now let's focus on the lessons we can take from the outside of bariatric surgery.

* Gastro-esophageal reflux treatment provides highly interesting tools.This is a very common trouble, which is most often treated with anti-acid drugs except when it becomes severe. Then a mini-invasive surgical procedure can be proposed, which the endoscopists have naturally tried to imitate.
These techniques were initially adopted with enthusiasm, but many of them have been abandonned. They represent a valuable source of information because the specific anatomical area they target is highly similar to the area that is dealt with in obesity treatments.
Three types of procedures have been used and could be proved efficient in bariatric surgery as well:
- Plication : various procedures (e.g.Endo-Cinch, EndoGastricSolution, etc.) have been developed and aim at creating an "internal valve" with staples or stitches applying on the gastric mucosae.
- Low frequency waves (Stretta) : they create a burn and a healing process at the gastro-esophageal junction. Results have been disappointing to treat reflux, but investigations are carried on in the obesity field (EndoVx), that look similar to vagal nerve stimulation trials...
- Injection of biocompatible material : we'll get back to that in the last newsletter of this series.